The first step is to meet with key stakeholders to discuss the feasibility of this proposal, ensure alignment with the Faculty of Arts' values and goals, and integrate with the new Arts Strategic Plan. Key participants in these discussions include:

• Dean of Arts

• Associate Deans (Academic, Finance, Research, Students, Development & Alumni Engagement)

• Arts ISIT

• HIVE Team

This proposal will be reviewed at the Arts Dean's Table and requires a green light of support. Ideally, this will be timed to align with the submission of the Master of Biomedical Visualization and Communication (MBMVC) program proposal to the Arts Curriculum Committee in April 2025.

Once approval from the Arts Office of the Dean is secured, the next step is to consult with departments and units within and beyond Arts to:

• Gather feedback and refine the proposal.

• Build relationships to establish interdisciplinary collaborations. 

• Explore partnership opportunities with entities and existing units such as:

  • Musqueam First Nation

  • Emerging Media Lab (EML) & UBC Studios

  • UBC Library

  • Centre for Teaching, Learning, and Technology (CTLT)

  • Centre for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL)

  • Arts Amplifier

  • Arts UX Group (Arts ISIT & Arts Communication)

• Establish a sustainable financial and operational model for the HIVE within Arts.

To fund the development and launch of the HIVE, we will apply for primary funding sources:

• Large TLEF (Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund) Grant

  • UBC's Large TLEF Transformation Projects can provide up to $200,000 in funding. 

  • Requires collaboration among multiple faculty members. 

  • Must align with UBC's strategic priorities, such as:

    • Experiential learning

    • Equity, diversity, and inclusion

    • Indigenous engagement

    • Use of generative AI in education

• SSHRC (Social Science and Humanities Research Council) Funding

  • Supports research-driven projects with interdisciplinary and community impact.

• Alumni & Donor Contributions

  • Exploring potential sponsorship and donor engagement for long-term sustainability.

Pending successful grant applications, we aim to begin actualizing the plan in Winter 2025. Ideally, the approval of the HIVE proposal will align with the submission of the MBMVC program proposal to UBC Senate, UBC Board of Governors, and eventually the BC Ministry of Education. This will allow the HIVE to establish its presence in Arts, refine processes and infrastructure, and build awareness and engagement within the broader Arts community before the the MBMVC program launches in September 2027.